Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Nic Scourton (11) defends in coverage against LSU Tigers offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) during the fourth quarter. The Aggies defeated the Tigers 38-23; at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Carolina Panthers’ new-look pass rush will pay big dividends in 2025

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated May 31, 2025 7:30 AM ET

Seemingly every team in the NFC South was looking to get better this offseason when it came to getting after opposing signal callers. The New England Patriots finished dead last in the league with 28 sacks in 2024. That was followed closely by the Atlanta Falcons (31), while the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans both finished with 32 QB traps. The Saints finished with 39 sacks, meaning three of the four teams in the division failed to reach the 40-sack mark.

Hence, in the first round of this year’s draft, the Falcons added a pair of pass-rushers in Jalon Walker (Georgia) and James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee) with the 15th and 26th overall picks, respectively. Conversely, Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan came up with a “DOGO” (Draft One, Get One) of sorts during the NFL draft, adding Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton and Mississippi’s Princely Umanmielen in the second and third round, respectively.

Scourton racked up a dozen sacks in two seasons at Purdue University, 10 of those in his final season with the Boilermakers. He finished with 50 tackles, three passes defensed and a forced fumble. In his only season with the Aggies, he totaled 37 stops, five sacks, two more passes defensed and another forced fumble.

Like Scourton, the Panthers’ third-round pick began this career at one school and wound up with another. Umanmielen spent four seasons as the University of Florida before moving on to Ole Miss. With the Gators, he amassed 99 tackles (26 for losses), 15.0 sacks and three forced fumbles in 45 outings. He really came into his own at the University of Mississippi this past season, racking up 37 stops and a career-best 10.5 quarterback traps. He also forced one fumble and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Keep in mind that during free agency, Morgan added four-year pro Patrick Jones II. He finished with a career-best seven sacks this past season. This trio of young edge rushers could cure a lot of ills for a team that saw since-released Jadeveon Clowney and defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson co-lead Carolina with only 5.5 sacks in 2024. Don’t be surprised if at least two of these three newcomers surpass that total this upcoming season.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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